Courses:

Course Info

• Course Number / Code:
• SP.518J (Spring 2007) 
• Course Title:
• Race and Identity in American Literature: Keepin' it Real Fake 
• Course Level:
• Undergraduate 
• Offered by :
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  Massachusetts, United States  
• Department:
• Literature 
• Course Instructor(s):
• Prof. Sandy Alexandre 
• Course Introduction:
•  
• 
  
  21L.504J / SP.518J / WGS.518J Race and Identity in American Literature: Keepin' it Real Fake
  
  
  
  

  Spring 2007

  
  
  

  
  
  

  Course Highlights

  
  
  

  
  
  21L.504J / SP.518J / WGS.518J Race and Identity in American Literature: Keepin' it Real Fake
  
  
  
  

  Spring 2007

  
  
  

  

  A black man and a white man. (Composite image by MIT OCW. Original left image courtesy of Cesar Aponte. Original right image courtesy of Steve Punter.)

  
  
  

  Course Description

  
  
  

  This course explores the ways in which various American artists view race and class as performed or performable identities. Discussions will focus on some of the following questions: What does it mean to act black, white, privileged, or underprivileged? What do these artists suggest are the implications of performing (indeed playing at or with) racial identity, ethnicity, gender, and class status? How and why are race and class status often conflated in these performances?
  
  

  Recommended Citation

  
  
  

  For any use or distribution of these materials, please cite as follows:

  Sandy Alexandre, course materials for 21L.504 Race and Identity in American Literature: Keepin' it Real Fake, Spring 2007. MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu/), Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Downloaded on [DD Month YYYY].